Time stock-feeder.



PATBNIED JAN. 6, 1'903.

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UNiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE J. STEIN, OF MOUNT CARMEL, PENNSYLVANIA.

TIME STOCK-FEEDER.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,637, dated January 6, 1903.

Appunti@ and June 19, 1902.

'o @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, GEORGE J. STEIN, a citi- V zen of the United States of America, residing at Mount Carmel, in the county of Northumberland and State or" Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Feeding-Troughs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the care of live stock, and particularly to that class known as feed-troughs, automatic.

The object of this invention is the provision of novel means whereby a quantity of feed may be released at a predetermined time and deposited in a trough.

Furthermore, the object of the invention is toI produce novel means whereby the time of releasing the feed may be varied according to the wishes of the user.

A still further object of the invention is to produce a feed-releasing device which will possess advantages in points of simplicity, eiiciency, and durability, proving at the same time comparatively inexpensive.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and com bination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the speciiication, wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, in which- Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the invention. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view on the lines met' Fig. 1. Fig. 3 representsa View iu elevation from the rear. Fig. i is a detail View of the clockworks.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a housing having a series of feed-discharge holes 2, said holes being controlled by a sliding gate 3, mounted in the ways formed between the guidese and the inner surface of the front. In casethe slide uncovers but one hole a small supply will be discharged, while if more holes are uncovered the supply will be increased proportionately. The slide may be elevated to uncover the number of holes desired by the operator inserting his hand through the holes and pressing upon the slide. A suitable inclosure l5 is built in the housing for the recep- Serial No. 112.328. (No model.)

tion of a motor in the shape of an ordinary clockworks. A door 6 is hung on hinges and is held closed in any suitable manner to protect the clockworks from dust. is triangular in horizontal section, and a rockshaft 7 is mounted in suitable bearings and extends along one wall and projects slightly at the rear. An arm 8 is mounted on the projecting end of the rock-shaft, said arm extending up and having its end reduced to enter an eye of a rod 9, which is attached to the shutter 10. The shutter 10 is pivoted to a boss 11 on the housing and is designed to normally close the chute 12, which is supplied with feed: The shutter is thrown on its pivot by means of the arm 8, and the arm is actuated by the spring 13. intermediately the length of the shaft 7 and is bent to terminate under the clockworks. An operating-handle l5 is formed with or attached to the arm. A hook 16 has its shank secured at the intersection of the arm and handle, said hook extending upward and c0- acting with a hook 17 to retain the arm elevated under certain conditions. It will be observed that the relation of the arms 8 and 14 causes the arm 8 to retain the shutter in' position to close the chute when the arm 14 is elevated, and with the release of the arm 14 the springacts to move the arm,which rocks the shaft and moves the shutter. When the arm 11i is elevated with the hooks in engage ment, the shutter-is thrown across the chute.

The shaft 18 is provided in the frame and a toothed-wheel 19 is mounted thereon,which meshes with the pinion that actuates the hourwheel. It will be observed, therefore, that the wheel 19 makes a complete rotation once in twelve hours. vThe hub of the Wheel 19 has a cam-face 19a, and a leaf-spring 20 bears against the inner face of the hub, holding the cam-face against the pin 21. lt will be observed that when the shoulder 22 of the cam passes the pin the spring will thrust the wheel outward, and as the spring is in connection with the latch-bar said latch-bar is also thrust outward. The lower end of the spring 2O has an eye to receive the outer end of the latch-bar. The hook 17 on the latch-bar 23 is thus thrown out of engagement with the hook 16 of the arm 14 and said arm is free to descend, which it will do, acting under the The housingr An arm 14: is secured influence of the spring 13, as heretofore described. The latch-bar has a spring 24, which holds it normally in so that the hooks Will engage when the arm 14 is elevated. When the Wheel rotates a sufficient distance, it is forced back, owing to theaction of the cam, and the leaf-spring is thus forced back and held until the shoulder passes the pin again.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the shutter can be operated in the ordinary way every twelve hours, though by resetting the clock it could be made to act at any time.

The construction, operation, and advantages will, it is thought, be understood from the foregoing description, it being noted that various changes may be resorted to for successfully carrying the invention into practice Without departing from its scope.

Having fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a feeding-trough, a chute, a shutter controlling the chute, an arm for operating the shutter, a spring for actuating the arm, a rockshaft on which the arm is carried, a second arm on the rock-shaft, a hook on the arm, a clockworks, a latch-bar slidable in the frame of the clockworks, ahook on the latch-bar for engaging the hook of the arm, a spring encircling the latch-bar for moving it longitudinally, a leaf-spring on the end of the latchbar, a toothed Wheel for holding the leafspring normally depressed,said toothed Wheel having a cam-face, a pin against which the cam-face rides and which limits the movement of the Wheel.

I n testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses, this 14th day of June, 1902.

GEORGE J. STEIN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT JEFFERSON, S. F. WEARY. 

